Sluice or lock



Cil

(iii

Patented Nov. 8, 1932 LEOPOLD ROTHMUND, OF STUTTGART, GERMANY SLUICE OR LOCK Application led October 23, 1929, Serial No.

My invention relates to sluices or locks and more particularly to the type of lock having a floating' dock-like trough with a ballast chamber.

It is an object of my invention to improve a lock of this type.

To this end I combine with the floating trough a floating reservoir having a ballast chamber of its own, and I provide. means for connecting the two ballast chambers insueh wise that ballast water can pass from one to the other as the circumstances require.

ln a modified form, which oers particular advantages, the floating reservoir is replaced `by a. second dock-like trough similar to or identical, as far as its design is concerne-d, with the other trough, and affording a means for simultaneously passing two Vessels or rows of vessels through the locl. y

The trough or troughs which take up the vessels, float in a basin which is connected to heal water and separated fronitail water byA a lock bay.

The new lock is operated exclusively by means of the ballast water which is made to flow from the floating trough to the floating reservoir or the second trough, if such is provide-d, the ballast water providing that the trough is submerged when the vessel Yf s moving downstream, and raised when it is moving upstream, without any expense of power except that required for generating the head which causes the ballast water to flow, and for overcoming the resistances to the movement ofthe trough and reservoir.

Communication is established between the floating trough and the floating reservoir or the second floating trough across a partition or middle float which is loaded with ballast so as to seat itself, if desired, on the bottom of the lock chamber. It might however also be replaced bv a fixed non-floating partition. This middle fioat. has a chamber affording a passage for the ballast water from one to the other trough or reservoir. These latter are arranged to slide vertically in contact with one or the other side wall ofthe middlefi'oat, bein g guided on these side walls by means of slides fined to them which are so proportioned as to close the passage chamber in the middle 401,773, and in Germany November 1, 1928.

float, no matter in what or reservoir may allowing f through'from onel ballast chamber to theotherl across the middle float and the slides.

Means are provided in the ballast chamber for controlling the flow of the water and means are further provided for starting the floats moving in vertical direction.

In the drawings aflixed to this specification and forming part thereof, various embodiments of my invention are illustrated diagrammatically by way of example.

In the drawings Fig. l is a cross-section of a lock chamber with an open trough in upper and a floating reservoir in lower end position, l

F ig. 2 is a similar view showing the parts in reversed positions,

Figs. 3 and t are similar views of a lock chamber having a covered (closed-in) trough and a reservoir,

Figs. 5 and 6 illustrate a lock with a modified form of the trough shown in Figs. 3 and 4,

Fig. 7 illustrates a lock chamber provided with two floating troughs, one acting as bal-A last reservoir for the other,

Fig. 8 'is an elevation of the float viewed in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 10, and

Figs. 9 and 10 are sections on lines IX-IX and X--X in Fig. 8.

Referring now to the drawings, and first to Figs. l and 2, 7 is the lock basin and 6 is the water level therein, l is the floating trough adapted to be closed at either end by gates (not shown) of some suitable type and only partly filled with water for the reception of a vessel (not shown) the height of its walls being such, that they enclose a large airfilled space which acts as a water displacing chamber. 2 is the floating reservoir, equally formed with an air-lled displacing chamber 17, and 8 is the middle float. Slides 4, 5 are arranged on either side of the middle float for vertical displacement on the side walls thereof, suitable means (not shown) being provided for guiding the slides on the float. Suitable means (not shown) such as a i for raising and lowering the slides.

rllhe middle ioat 3 is formed withv a central chamber 8 open on both sides through which the ballast water may pass from the iioating trough 1 to the floating reservoir 2. The middle iloat 3 is formed with closed air chambers 9 and 10 above and below the pas# sage 8. Suitable means, such as screw spindles, may be provided for adjusting the middle float relative to the-foundation 11 so that the vertical position of the float can be varied iii accordance withthe variationsof the head and tail water levels.

Suitable packing frames 12 and 'i3 of a well-known kind are provided on either side in suitable recesses of the middle float 3 so as to make a tight iit'between the openingsin the middle float and the iloating trough and reservoir,respectively.yV Y,

rlhe Hoa-ting trough is mounted on a ballast chamber 14 and is formed with high walls 51 andA with a closed air chamber 15 which together with the upper airfiilled and water displacing portion V of the trough proper serves for regulating the buoyancy of the rough. Similarly the reservoir n 2 is provided with a ballast chamber 16 and the airfilled displacing member 17. 43, 43 and 44 are overliow pipes or passages in theballast chambers 14 and 16,-respectively. lVents,such as indicated at 14() and 160 in Fig. 1,' are provided on the ballast `chambers of this and all other'modiiications described further below,

. these vents `serving to establish communi cation of the air space in these cham-k bers with the atmosphere and to allow air to escape and enter, as the wateigrises and fallsY therein, respectively. In head water position the displacing above, the displacing` chamber of the reser-l voir below the water level in the lock basin. The two ballast chambers' are below this level ibotliin head vand Vin tail water position. v The ballast chambers of the troughl 1 andthe Ireservoir2 are ormedwith channels 14a and 16a respectively extending below the bottom of and communicating with said cham- Lbers, these 'channels ending in, openings 18 and 19, respectively, in the side walls adj oining the middle float 3 and near the bottom.

thereof. These openings register'permanent-yV twhich arethe principal 0rates,`may be pro-V vided with automatic means (not shown)V for lowering them whenever the velocity of the flowof the water'rshould become excessive.

rllie outer'gates 22, 24 are provided for the Y case of an emergency. L

chamber l formed in the top part ofsaidtrough is fully In Figs. 8, 9 and 10, the packing and guiding means are shown more specifically, Fig. 8 being an elevation o the float 3 with the packings arranged thereon, viewed in the direction of the arrows in Figs. 1 and 10. The inner part 26 surrounding the chamber 8 comprises a holder in which a packing strip 27 is fitted to slide. This strip is held applied against the slide 4 by means of pistons 28 arranged in cylinders 29. A similar packing 12 'is lprovided for the slide 4.

The rotatably mounted packing rollers 30, pairs of which are provided above and below chamber 8 on both sidesofthe float 3 for cooperation with the two V'slides 4 and 5, respectively, are lined with rubber and held applied against the corresponding slide (4- or 5) by a piston 31Ymovable in acylindei` 32 mounted on the middle float 3, the piston` rod v carrying a smaller roller v33 for forcing the packing roller 30 into contact with the slide.

which is supplemented-by a packing strip` 27 held applied againstthe slide (4 or 5) vby pistons 28 as described with reference to Fig. 9. s i

The operation ofthe new lock is as follows: The position of the-troughV 1 with respect to theIk level of the body of water 6,.i`n whichitviloats, is regulated `by the water ballast, in the chamber 14 and the relative positiony of the' trough 1 and reservoir 3 is Vregulated bycausing'water from the chamber 14 of the trough 'to ilow into ythe ballast chamber .16` With the vtrough 1 in its upper .endl position the of the reservoir 2, or viceversa.

reservoir 2 is submerged, the water level fin chamber 14 of the trough being flush with 4the discharge pipes 43 so that this chamber is now empty,'the chamber 16of the reservoir 2 being filled altogether. The inner gate 23 otl ballastchamber 14 is-closed,while in the I reservoir chamber 1 6 the inner gate 25 is open, the outer slides being open also, the slide 4 being lowered, the slide raised to connect" thep'assages 18 and 19 of the channels 14a and 16a, respectively, with the passage 8 in themiddlefloat 3. 7

In the position illustrated in Fig. 1, with the trough 1 in its upper position and the reservoir 2 submerged the total weight of the trough including the .water in it equals the buoyancy of the trough with the water discharged from the lchamber 14. Equally, the weight of the reservoir and the weight of the water in the chamber 16 must be equal to the buoyancygof the reservoir when totally submerged. I

In Fig. 2, the relative position of the tro ugh and the reservoir is reversed, the reservoir 2 floating, its ballast chamber' 16 being emptied, and the trough 1 being submerged and its ballast chamber 14 lled. In this position the inner gate'25 in the reservoir 2 is closed, While in the trough 1 both gates 22 and 23 are open. It will be understood that Whenever the relativeVV position of the trough and the reservoir is reversed, a certain quantity of Water Will flow from chamber 1l into chamber 16 and vice versa. This shifted body of Water is equal to the Water displaced by the trough 1. The capacity of the Water spaces in the chambers 14 and 16 must be equal to the shifted body of Water and the height of the air spaces in both chambers must be the same and must be `equal to the distance between the two end positions of the trough. A turther condition is that thel ballast Water chambers should be so designed that the crosssectional areas of their Water levels are equal at all relative positions at Which the trough 1 and the reservoir 2 are at equilibrium, and equal also to the. cross-sectional area of the Water displaced by the trough in the locl; chamber in which it loats. It follows from these conditions that the height of the ballast Water chambers in the trough and the reservoir must be equal, that their capacities must be equal and that the cross-sectional area of the level of the volume of Water displaced by the trough must be equal to that displaced by the reservoir and vice v-ersa.

By slightly varying the vertical position of the trough 1, the reservoir 2 or both, for instance by lowering slightly the trough from its upper end position with the vessel therein designed for down-stream movement a. flow of Water Will be set up from chamber 16 to chamber 14@ so that the reservoir 2 Will rise through the same distance ttor .which the trough is lowered, and this 'will go on until the trough is completelyv suhmerged. Thile this occurs, all forces, with the only exception of the force required for imparting acceleration to the trough, are balanced and the level of the body of Water 7 Will be constant. When the trough has reached its lowermost position, the vessel may pass down-stream Without the reservoir beingr ailected thereby. lilith a vessel moving upstream the sequence of operations is reversed. The slides il, 5 are displace-d together with the trough and reservoir. When the trough 1 has been completely submer its ballast chamber 1lL is completely Without requiring any closure and the tro (Figs. Ll, 6 and 7) may noiv more further downwardly. On the other han trough is completely submerged, the g in the reservoir 2 is closed. Nb trough shall be submerged further, tl E ing frame 20 is Withdrawn from Contact o.

the slide 5 by automatic means, either pneumatic or hydraulic. vWhen the trough startsv again on its upward movement, the packing 2O is automatically returned into operative position. This independent movement of the trough is very important fora vessel moving down-stream, because thus the vessel may move at any desireddepth. The chain-v ber 14 of the dock Vremains in connection with the body of Water 6. In this manner the volume of shifted balance Wateris regulated automatically during every operation of the loch. Any Water that remains inthe chambers 14 or 16 is discharged freely by the pipes 43 and 44, respectively, While any shortage of Water is made up from the bodies of lWater in the lock chamber.

Referring to Figs. 3 and a, the trough 45,' which corresponds to t etrough 1, is closed on top but otherwise the construction of the floats Withtheir displacing and ballast chambers, is the same as described with reference to Figs. 1 and 2. Y

In Figs. 5 and 6 the ballast chamber 1/1- of the previously described modifications is here replaced by a chamber .t6 of substantially the same Width as the trough 45. Obviously in this case only a single pipe el' is required in the chamber 46.

In Fig. 7, the floating reservoir 2 in Fig. 1 is replaced by a second trough LS equalling in all respects the trough 49, each trough actingV as a` ballast-reservoir for the other and both troughs being utilizable alternately in the same manner. y

In the claims the term reservoir is intended to include a second trough as shown in Fig. 7.

I Wish it to be understood thatI do not desire to be limited to the exact detailsv of construction shown and described for lob"- vious modifications Will occur to a person skilled in the art.

I claim :k f

1. In a lookin combination, a Water-lilled basin, a high-Walled floating trough, aV body of Water in the bottom portion of said trough, the top portion forming a displacing cham- 1 ber, a ballast chamber below said trough, a

oating reservoir alongside of said trough, a displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, the displacing chamber of said troughbeing, in head Water position, above the Water level, the displacing chamber of said reservoir below the Water level in said basin. f

. 2. In a lock in combination, a Water-lilled basin, a high-Walled floating trough, a. body of Water in the bottom portion of said trough, the top portion forming a displacing chamber, a ballast vchamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside lof said trough, a displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, the displacing Achamber of said trough being, in head Water position, above the Water level, the displacing champ level in said basin,

' the other,

, Sage of water.

ber 'of said reservoir below the water levelV 'basin,a high-walled floating trough, a'body of water in the'bottom portion of said trough, the top portion forming adisplacing chamber, a ballasty chamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, the displacing chamber of said trough being, in head water position, above the water level, the displacing chamber of said reservoir belowV the water level in said basin, and means betweenl said trough and said reservoir for passing ballast water from one ballast chamber to the other.

4. In a lock in combination, a water-filled basin, a. high-walled floating trough, Va `body of water in the bottom portion of said trough, the top portion forming a displacing chainber, a ballast chamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a `displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, the-displacing chamber of said trough being, in head water position,

above the water level, the displacing chamber of said reservoir below the water level in said basin, and floatable means for passing ballast water from one lballast chamber to the other. y Y

5. In a-V lookin combination, a water-filled basin, a high-walled floating trough, a body of water in the bottom portion of said trough, theA top portion forming a displacing chamber, a ballastchamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, of saidtrough being, above the water level,y the displacing chamber of said reservoir below the waterlevel in said basin, floatable means for passing ballast ywaterfrom oneballast chamber to and means associatedswith said balance chambers for controlling the pas- 6. In a lock basin,a`highwalled floating trough, a body of water in the bottom portion of said trough, Y the top portion forming displacing chamber, Va ballast chamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside .of said trough, a displacing chamberY and a ballast ychamber in said reservoir, the displacing chamber of said trou h being, tion, chamber of said reservoir below the water a partition between said trough and said. reservoir, awater passage insaid partition, a slide on each side and in contact with said partition, acommunication between said ballast chambc:k and the waterk passage in said partition 'extending across said slides, andv means -for causing the displacing chambery in head water position, Y

in combination, va water-filled in head Vwater posi. aboveV t e water level, the displacing Y tition,

simultaneous vertical movement of said trough and said reservoir respectively/with the slide adjoining each.

7. In a lock incombination,

of water in the bottom portion of said trough, he top portion forming a displacing chamber, a ballast chamber below said trough, a floating said reservoir, the displacing chamber of said trough/being, in head water position, above the water level, the displacing chamber of' said reservoir below the water level'in said basin, a floatable partition between said trough and said reservoir, a lwater passage in said partition, a slideon each side and incontact with said partition,

basin, a'high-walled floating trough, a body,r of water in the bottomportion of said trough, the top portion forming a displacingl cham.-y

ber,.a ballast chamber below said trough,.a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a

displacing chamber and aiballast chamber in said reservoir, the displacing chamberofsaid trough being, the water level, the displacingchamber of said reservoir below the water level in said basin, a partition between said trough and said-reservoir, a water passage in said partition, a slide on each side andin .contact with said partition, a communication between said ballast chamber and the water passage in sai partition for causing simultaneous vertical movement of said trough and said reservoir respectively with the slide adjoining each and ymeans for 9. In a lock in combination, va water-filledbasin, a high-walled floating trough, atbody` packing said slides against said partition.4 j

of water in the bottom portion of saidtrough, the top portion ber, a ballast chamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a displacing chamber said reservoir, the displacingchamber of said trough being, in head water position, above the water level, the displacing chamber of s said reservoir below the water level in said basin, a partition between said trough and said reservoir, a water passage in said para slide on each side and in contact with said partition, a communication between said ballast chamber and the water passage in said partition'extending across said slides, means for causing simultaneous vertical movement of said trough and'saidrese'rvoir respectively with the slide ad] oining each,'mean's for packa water-filled basin, a high-walled floating trough, a lbody reservoir alongside of said troughfa displacing chamber and a ballast-I chamber in a communication be-s tween said ballast chamber and the waterl partition extending across means for causing simultain head water position, above"v forming a displacing ychamanda ballast chamber in,

d extending across said slides, means- Y ing said slides against said partition, and means for packing said trough and reservoir against said slides.

10. In a lock in combination a water-filled basin, a high-walled floating trough, a body of water in the bottom portion of said trough, the top portion forming a displacing chamber, a ballast chamber below said trough, a floating reservoir alongside of said trough, a displacing chamber and a ballast chamber in said reservoir, the displacing chamber of said trough being, in head water position, above the water level, the displacing chamber of said reservoir below the water level in said basin, a partition between said trough and said reservoir, a water passage in said partition, a slide on each side and in contact with said partition, a communication between said ballast chamber and the water passage in said partition extending across said slides, means for causing simultaneous vertical movement of said trough and said reservoir respectively with the slide adjoining each, means Jfor packing said slides against said partition, and means for packing said trough and reservoir against said slides, said packing means comprising packing members and pistons arranged to move said members into and out of operative position and packing rollers movable in labyrinth-like recesses.

In testimony whereof I atIix my signature.

LEOPOLD ROTHMUND. 

